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KindHuman launches 'a different kind of bike company'

TORONTO, Ontario (BRAIN) — KindHuman, a new bike and accessories brand, is taking an unusual approach to the market, offering discounts to community service employees and supporting racing programs for underprivileged youth.

The company is currently offering a high-end carbon road frameset and will soon expand with complete bike kits, clothing and accessories. It is setting up accounts with a handful of IBDs and is building a business model that includes keystone margins for retailers.

KindHuman is a side project for Adam Abramowicz, who also works in media and public relations for the distributor Hawley. Toronto-based Gavin Brauer is the other founding partner in KindHuman.

"We are trying to change the world one bike at a time," Abramowicz said. "We want to offer quality products at better pricing. We are not trying to be a discounter, but we think there is some room for a company with a conscience."

KindHuman's first product is the Kampionne frameset, a 950 gram carbon road frame with a tapered headtube and a BB96 bottom bracket that retails for $2,075 and offers retailers about a 46 percent margin. The company is setting up parts kits programs with distributors so it can offer complete bike kits soon.

The company is currently accepting pre-orders for the Kampionne from consumers on its website and eventually plans to launch a program to have consumer orders fulfilled by local retailers, said Abramowicz.

KindHuman also plans to offer steel road, cyclocross and mountain framesets in custom or stock geometry, as well as accessories, a helmet and clothing.

"There is a place in the industry for people who want to buy a $10,000 bike, but we are not that company. I come from a very blue-collar background and I want to make cycling accessible to people, especially service workers and under-privileged youth.

"From a dealer standpoint, we want to be able to offer a risk-free buying environment. We want to handle the inventory risk so dealers can bring in one or two bikes if they want to; we don't want to work on pre-season orders," he said.